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an immensity of good would be done, if, in cases of persons, choosing rather to suffer than to temporize, were so numerous as to attract the general notice of men! Would not every case of suffering operate as one of the most forcible lessons that could be given, to those who should see it? And how long would that infamous system have to live, which makes a distinction between political expediency and moral evil?" Ibid. chap. v. p. 197, 198. vol. 3. Instances of noble sufferings-genuine Quakerism (christianity) will always produce. (Whose courage and patience keep pace with their piety.) No true Quaker will remain in any occupation which he believes it improper to pursue. In the early times of their institution," we find "Gilbert Lacy, was one of those who bore his public testimony against them. Though he was only a tailor, he was known and highly spoken of by king James II." "From Gilbert Lacy, I may pass to John Woolman, whose general practice was to buy and sell things really useful. Things that served chiefly to please the vain mind in people, he was not easy to trade in; seldom did it; and whenever he did, found it weaken him as a christian. And from John Wool man I might mention the names of many, and, if delicacy did not forbid me, those of individuals now living, who relinquished or regulated their callings, on an idea that they could not consistently follow them at all." Trades-" of some he knew who had left of business; and otherwise regulated them; such as a distiller, a bookseller, a furnisher of funerals, a silversmith, and other individuals, who have held other occupations, not usually objectionable by the world." Ibid. chap. iv. p. 72, 73. vol. II.

But of all the "inconsistency of practices," none appeared to me more glaringly absurd, at least indicate and savour the latitudinarian spirit of the age, than your conduct, in a certain particular, in the management of "Duncan Street school," (at Liverpool) I mean that of suffering and allowing the children to go to any place of worship (but your own) on the first day, called "sabbath day.”*

This school is, I believe, supported by the voluntary contributions of your society, under the regulation and management of a select committee. To support an institution of this kind, is, in these awful

* On the structure of the school, I may say (in the phrase of those of the world) is truly "Quakerish;" neat, but plain; mean, if not penurious: I mean as it respects the ground-floor, in particular. Whether the health of these poor children, or the strength of their little limbs may be injured by the cold which must arise from such a floor (bricks) I am not able to say; as many of these poor children (to the disgrace of England be it spoken) have been without shoes, (and some without both stockings and shoes) they may not be so delicate as the children of your own society: but I would suggest here a litter of straw, or a bag of saw-dust scattered about in cold and wet weather.

I shall pass over the economical (or rather abominable) regulation of this school, in giving out the few articles of wearing apparel, designed for the "first day's" decency and comfort; by only observing to deprive the poor girls of the pleasure of wearing the whole day, that covering, of which the great apostle says on a certain occasion is “a dishonour" (to be without) is no great mark of that sympathy (and modesty in this article I allude to) for which you are so characteristic. Most other charitable institutions give those articles out on the seventh day evening. (To say nothing here of that trifling of time (once a week, and that on the first day) devoted to the instruction of Adults, female as this additional scheme of doing good,' is but, I believe, in its infant state.)

days of darkness and distress, praise-worthy. But I do not see altogether the force or necessity of a "committe"-a combination of the great, the rich, and the learned. One would think, to hear talk of a "committee" to choose officers and sub-officers, ordinate officers to manage a school of children, (or adults) and to watch all the various movements of all the officers and subordinate officers, &c. that it was somewhat like a despotic, monarchial, or republican state. A plan of education, and rules systematic drawn out, might be as easy to manage such institutions, as any other common boys' or girls' schools. I must, however, add here, that the above remark is not exclusively designed for Duncan Street school.

I shall observe first, as an opinion being generally entertained with regard to the system of education (of certain free and adult schools) that of "the Lancastrian" being that of the "Quakers;" I feel desirous to transcribe the following passage, of a respectable member of the society of Friends, from a well-timed pamphlet, entitled "A few Notes on a Letter to the archbishops and bishops," &c. &c. viz. "this Letter proposing at first to review a plan of education for the lower orders of the community, becomes in its progress the vehicle of as great a load as it can be made to bear, of the common-place charges against quakerism. A member" (though by the way, I have generally been given to understand that I. L. is a disowned member) "of the society of friends has sought and obtained high and extensive patronage, for certain improvements in education, confessedly of national importance. In giving an

account of these he adverts to his religious profession, and introduces some opinions of his own. These being considered as the language of the society, are deemed a sufficient ground whereon to renew that mode of attack, which they who do not know us, have often tried upon us; an attack by gross, though not perhaps intentional misrepresentation.

"The plan of education not being my object, I shall first put it by a few words out of the question. It has an importance' it seems, that challenges a fair appreciation of its merits,' and demerits' very well, let it be fair! But alas! there is 'much good mixed with a certain portion of apparent evil,' that is to say, 'Mr. Lancaster's plan now before the public, is the plan of a QUAKER.' Hence the apparent evil;' for Quakerism, according to the authorities to which the letter-writer seems to have confined his reading, is indeed such an apparent error and heresy as it must become every good christian to wish to see removed.*

"To separate at once the good from the apparent evil, that we may sift the latter by itself, I need only say that the plans of Joseph Lancaster are not, as the letter writer imagined, the plans of the Qua kers; nor his schools in any way, now or formerly, an object of the attention of that society. He may now bring forward, if he has found them, some proofs of these facts, which, when he wrote, he certainly had not taken the pains to enquire after." (ibid. p. 2-4.)

Since Joseph Lancaster's failure and resignation of his
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Bearing in mind "a few notes," &c. by "Eccletus," I am not afraid to pursue my subjects, conscious of my work not becoming "the vehicle of as great a load as it can be made to bear of commonplace charges against quakerism." One part of this Lancastrian system of education, it appears to be adopted on the plan of the celebrated Dr. Bell, at "the Male Asylum of Madras," of which plan was to constitute the boys who had made some progress in learning, monitors or teachers of those whose attainments were inferior. Such "juvenile assistants," I have no doubt, are "more eligible than men for under instructors ;" and of course, of considerable saving to charity schools.

In the words of a very intelligent writer, (in the National Register) I need only say, "the public have been so long, I may almost say, satiated with argu

tutorship and superintendance, this school (or method of instruction) is, I believe called "the British system of education." What loss the Parent Institution may sustain by this change, time only will tell: but we are assured that "the inventor had elevated himself to an unnatural height." "A pound a day," was, I think, a very handsome remuneration!" vide the speech of the celebrated philantrophist, the late Whitbread, at the meeting of the Lancastrian Institution, 11th month, 10th, 1813.

This, however, put me in mind of the late "imperial decree," as it is (was) called, by the ex-emperor, Bonaparte, which he issued on the subject of education, intended to consolidate and perfect the various incomplete institutions which have risen up under the successive governments that have lived their short hour in France. On this decree, which consists of 144 articles, and forms an elaborate and minutely organized system, all the schools, acadamies, or colleges of France are connected together, and form the university." The editors of the Christian

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